Wildlife garden blog from Perthshire, Scotland

Welcome… Buddleja ‘Buzz Ivory’

17 January 2014

In Autumn 2013, Buddleja ‘Buzz Ivory’ arrived in my garden. Plant Breeders’ Thompson & Morgan claim this plant to be a hardy shrub. I do hope this is the case as I am a bit nervous at the moment, knowing, that it is yet to feel a good Scottish winter cold snap growing here in my garden. Fingers crossed :-0

I bought a second plant soon after seeing this plant look so good in flower in my full sun, front garden. I could protect one plant maybe? Has anyone experience of over-wintering this plant? I would dearly love both plants to survive for their long flowering period – that is something I look for at shirls gardenwatch 🙂

Buddleja has the common name of Butterfly Bush and is said to be the best plant to attract butterflies to your garden. Ah… but the butterflies don’t get this nectar all to themselves – Bees love it too. Plants with flowers that provide food for butterflies and bees is another goal at shirls gardenwatch 🙂

What about height and spread: 1.2m (4ft) x 1.2m (4ft). I read ‘Buzz Ivory’ to be fast growing here. The Plant Breeders’, Thompson & Morgan also claim ‘Buzz Ivory’ to be easy to grow and problem free. Listed as a Dwarf patio buddleja, they say it will last more than 10 years and won’t take over your garden! Sounds good to me 🙂

So, to the ‘Buzz Ivory’ Flower size: 15cm (6in). Yes, they are normal sized buddleja flowers! However the plant is half the size – great for a small garden like mine then 🙂

Many clusters of flowers on one plant make a great feeding station for butterflies and bees as they don’t have to travel far to feed and collect nectar. Buddleja is perfect for that and with ‘Buzz Ivory’ not being too tall it is perfect for getting photos and video of these very welcome garden visitors. Photo opportunities is another thing encouraged at shirls gardenwatch 🙂

What about tips for growing? As with any summer flowering plant, deadheading faded flowers is always worth the effort especially as new flower buds get a chance to grow and open their nectar rich, flowers. I must remember to regularly check my plants in 2014. I must also check back here on the pruning section from the Thompson & Morgan website below.

How to prune Buddleja

Buddleja plants are really low maintenance, but they do benefit from pruning in early spring. Pruning will prevent them from becoming leggy and helps to maintain a nice compact plant. Buddleja plants flower on new growth, so pruning will also help to promote lots of new stems that will flower in the same year.

Prune Buddleja in March, once the hardest frosts are over, as the new growth begins to show. Firstly remove any dead, diseased, damaged, or weak stems, before pruning all off the remaining stems back to form a low framework. In future years you can simply shorten the previous season’s growth back to 2 pairs of buds from this permanent framework. A top tip for pruning buddleja is to always use clean, sharp secateurs and make your cuts squarely, just above a healthy pair of buds.

For anyone considering propagating Buddleja ‘Buzz Ivory’ it should be noted that this plant is subject to Plant Breeders’ Rights and must not be propagated without a licence from the breeder who is Thompson & Morgan. “Breeders can choose whether or not to apply for plant breeders’ rights, which enable them to charge royalties for protected varieties. Royalties provide a means for breeding companies to fund their work.”

Ah… that was refreshing look back at the summer especially watching the video, butterflies bring something special to the garden don’t they? However, there is plenty of wing flapping to be seen at the moment as numbers of garden birds at the feeders increase day by day. Ha-ha… that’s until I sit down and count them for an hour – then the garden goes spookily quiet! I wonder how that works then – all too common a story too by what I hear in comments and from other bloggers.

Wishing you all a great weekend, here’s hoping the weather will be kind to you 🙂

5 thoughts on “Welcome… Buddleja ‘Buzz Ivory’”

If it is as hardy as a 'normal' buddleia it should be fine. WE have several larger ones growing on the plot as a result of sticking prunings in the ground. (Not buzz ones so mo restriction). Each year I cut them back to about a foot high. Last years they were covered in peacock butterflies – more than I had seen before – but hardly any tortoiseshells.

Love buddleia and have many in my garden, the white one did particularly well attracting bees, moths and butterflies. It was lovely to look back at a glorious summer too. I shall be sitting down for the BGB with the RSPB and like you shall expect the small number of birds that I do normally see to hide!

They are hardy plants. They are becoming invasive in some areas around here. I have had a purple one for years. I don't remember the variety. I do cut it back every winter. The butterflies, bees, flies and birds use this shrub. I can't help but to like it even if it does go rogue.

Sue, I’m hoping that’s the case. Yes, I read about your successful cuttings of your buddleja and remember how you couldn’t count all the butterflies for the count when it was on… Wow!

Suzie, now, when I chose this white one (to be honest it was the only one I could find up here at that time) I never thought on Moths! I’m delighted even more with my choice of white. I liked it as a background to the colours of the butterflies. Will be out with a torch in late summer now  Yep… it will be quiet on the count. Lol… doubt I’ll need the tally counter I’ve ordered for big flocks of birds on cold days 😉

Lisa, they seem to be and I didn’t realise that before. I have heard many can be invasive successfully growing in roof tops too. Yep… it’s a good rogue for butterflies 😀

Anna, I’m hoping so. Last year was a bit wet up here when it was in flower. Being established in my garden now hopefully it will flower earlier. I saw it on the 2013 TV coverage of Hampton court and had kept my eye out for it in garden centres. They were on available late on the season.

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GARDENWATCH

I’d encourage everyone to gardenwatch, especially at this difficult time. You just never know what you might see when you look more closely. I’d guess you’d be in for quite a few surprises, just as I have. A good start is a dish of fresh water for thirsty hedgehogs and birds and any bird feeder. A warning here – one will lead to another. Our gardens really can be mini nature reserves which is great for us to enjoy and seriously helps struggling wildlife.

There are three favourite locations to gardenwatch in my garden, all at different times of the day. Breakfast, through a window with a notebook recording activity at the feeders. Lunchtime, on a bench by the pond watching what is attracted there – lots. Late evening is the last, live watching night garden activity through four IR cameras – addictive!